Wednesday, September 30, 2009

So, yesterday, 9/29, was my birthday. I have a hard time with my birthday-it doesn't matter the year. Although, next year may be a tough one. You know, one of those milestone birthdays...cough, choke...60. For now and through next year, I am 59. Anyway, husb and I went to Quail Gardens to do a little sketching and watercolor, then out to lunch and errands. I had chocolate ice cream for dinner.

FYI: This journal page has a collage piece on it, then I drew and watercolored over it.

I will introduce you to new materials and techniques to create art from paper, cloth or a combination of the two. We’ll created layered, textured artworks using collage materials, paint, drawings, and thread. Come prepared to learn, explore and have fun with a new project each week. Class will be inspirational, positive, and fun, with lots of sharing, laughing, and learning from the others in the class. All levels of experience are welcome, and previous students expect new lessons!

Materials: For the first day bring: liquid matte (or gloss) acrylic medium, a foam brush, scissors, and collage papers (like rice paper, magazines, sheer tissues, painted papers, maps, and book pages), pencils and sketchbook or journal. A materials list for the rest of the class will be discussed in the first class. A $25 materials fee will be collected in class.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

This is the gorgeous California Center for Creative Renewal in Encinitas, CA. (It's a private garden.) I taught my workshop "Sketching & Watercolor: Journal Style" here yesterday, and will teach it again, same fabulous location, on Saturday, December 5. Even if you've taken from me before, in a group or private lesson, this location is stupendous for succulents and flowers and trees......Here's the description: Be inspired to record your life, your trip, or your daily adventures in an illustrated journal as you spend a meditative day drawing and sketching in the healing gardens. Jane will guide you through basic drawing, inking and watercolor painting. You’ll choose simple objects, vignettes or vistas to draw and paint, and then journal your thoughts right onto the drawings. At the end of the day you will create a small portfolio to hold your artwork. The class is geared for beginners, but all levels are welcome. Fifteen dollar materials fee includes everything you’ll need: watercolor paper, ink pen, pencil and watercolor set with special Niji Waterbrush. $95/$15 materials fee. $85 if you register 2 weeks priorYou can register here.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Just call it the LaFazio issue! This pic is on page 4, my Zen Eucalyptusquilt is on page 58 (it will also be on display at the Houston Quilt Festival next month) and my article on Quiltlets starts page 72.

We stayed in Kilarney, and I would definitely go back there and stay for a few days or a week. It's near the beautiful Kilarney National Park, with trails, formal gardens and castles too! This is Ross Castle in the distance.

The last night in Ireland, we took a taxi to Durty Nelly's (established in 1620!). I told the driver that I'd been a flight attendant 32 years ago, and often come to Durty Nelly's. I was told at the time, the local boys came to meet flight attendants who frequented the bar. (I had great memories of those times...huge sing-alongs in the pub and meeting fun Irish chaps.) Anyway, the taxi driver looks in the rear view mirror at me and says, his his charming brogue "Ah, your a fine lookin' woman now, you must a been a cracker thirty two years ago!"

Bunratty Castle, built in 1425, was another spot I went to when I was a flight attendant, so Don and I had to go. It was quite fun, with good food and very good entertainment. Somehow, I feel right at home in a castle!

On the top floor of Blarney Castle is the famous blarney stone. It's actually a spot on the wall. This man has the job of help each tourist get in position, slide down and kiss the stone, while another fellow snaps the photo. It's really quite fun and exhilarating!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Seriously, I'm disappointed that I didn't make more time to sketch and paint. I'm always telling my students to grab 20 minutes or so and draw in your journal. I'd hoped to create many pages of this trip to Ireland, but...too much time on the tour bus is my excuse. I feel bad that I didn't really capture any of the friggin GREEN of Ireland!

Oh my gosh what a gorgeous place! We got out of the (insert swear word) bus to kiss the blarney stone. Frankly, I had no idea that Blarney Castle is on many many acres of gorgeous park, and the castle itself is fabulous. I could have spend a day here. I also was reminded that I LOVE castles! Note to self: next trip to Ireland: CASTLES!

Husb and me after we'd kissed the blarney stone. Can't ya just tell we now have the 'gift of eloquence' as the kiss promises.

The blarney stone is a stone in the wall of Blarney Castle. According to an Irish legend, those who kiss the Blarney Stone receive a gift of eloquence that enables them to obtain, through persuasion, anything they want.

We totally lucked out with the beautiful weather on our trip to Ireland! Sunday we spent some time in St. Stephens Green sketching and people watching. The park was full of people enjoying the sunshine. Fact: St. Stephen's Green was enclosed in 1664. The 22 acre park was laid out in its present form in 1880. Landscaped with flowerbeds, trees, a fountain and a lake.We also took the Georgian House Museum tour and I really enjoyed seeing the inside of one of homes built in 1794.

We're back! Here's a pic from one of our first stops in Dublin, the Guinness Brewery tour. We had a lovely time--with NO rain at all! Gorgeous days and fabulous sites, though we really didn't get to sketch and paint as much as I'd hoped. We took a tour (too much time on the bus, I'm afraid) and added two extra days on our own to spend in Dublin. Then we toured the south east cities, ending up in Limerick and flying out of Shannon. I'll post more photos and pages tomorrow.

Another sheer layered, unfinished piece. I'm going to play some more with this process: 1) so I can finish these 2) so I can teach it to my Atheneaum Mixed Media with Paper & Cloth that starts on October 5 in San Diego.

I taught another private "Sketching & Watercolor: Journal Style" workshop today at Bernardo Winery, near my house. Eddie had taken one of my workshops before and wanted some one-on-one with his watercolor journal.

Monday, September 07, 2009

Here's the other drawing I did at the winery one-on-one class I taught on Sunday. My student, Diane, and I discussed mixing greens. The very first watercolor class I took, one of our first assigments was a green plant. I think back on what a good exercise that was! Nature's greens come in soooo many shades.The red chop (stamp), on the page, on the top means tiger, because I'm born the year of the tiger. I'm a metal tiger, in case you're wondering.....

I taught another one-on-one class at Bernardo Winery yesterday. Diane was my most excellent student and I forgot to get a photo! darn!!! We had a lovely morning, especially since it's cooled down a little.

Sunday, September 06, 2009

Another. I should have known better, and had the rose facing in. Oh well, that's why I'm making lots of these, to figure out the best way to do them. Watercolor. Hand carved stamp. 5x7 on hot press watercolor paper. I'd like to have a clever name for this process---Any ideas? "draw & paint a flower, design & carve a stamp" is not exactly catchy.